Obama – $100 million here – $100 million there – and you have my inauguration – let’s spend more money

December 6, 2012

Stephen Dinan reports that “Because next year’s inauguration falls on a Sunday, President Obama will hold only a small, private swearing-inceremony on Jan. 20, and will hold a big public redo the next day. The Inaugural Committee announced Thursday that activities will last three days: a day of service on Saturday, the small private ceremony on Sunday, and the public swearing-in, parade and balls on Monday.”

That means, the public “inauguration” is just a show, while the actual inauguration will again be behind closed doors (just as it was last go around).

What’s the show going to cost? If the cost of recent past inaugurations are any indication, well over $100 million.

In 2005, for President Bush’s second inauguration, “the federal government and the District of Columbia spent a combined $115.5 million, most of it for security, the swearing-in ceremony, cleanup and for a holiday for federal workers,” according to the New York Times.

And for Obama’s first inauguration in 2009, the cost for the government was over $125 million, according to reports: